The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for the automated marking of a bet slip and, more particularly, to such an apparatus for marking such a bet slip for use in entering a customer wager into a wagering machine.
Many states in this country, and numerous foreign countries around the world, have adopted computerized lottery games as a means to raise additional revenue for general government use or for a specific purpose, such as to fund higher education or to assist senior citizens. Computerized or "on-line" lottery games have become popular, particularly within the northeastern and mid-Atlantic states. Typically, such lottery games are arranged or structured so that the wagering customer attempts to pick numbers that match a specific plurality of numbers, such as five, six or seven numbers, which are selected at a random drawing (usually using air-mixed ping pong balls) from a universe or established set of numbers that may range, for example, from thirty to eighty numbers. The lottery games are implemented, and the customer numbers are selected, through a lottery operated network of electronic, computer-controlled wagering terminals installed in retail and other locations, and communicating with a centralized computer via standard communication or telephone lines.
To make a wager, a customer may tell a lottery agent who operates the electronic terminal the selected numbers, but, more often, will hand the lottery agent a specialized "bet slip," usually in the form of a computer readable card, on which the customer has marked the selected numbers for the wager, generally by "filling" a number of spaced boxes on the bet slip, each box corresponding to a particular number within the particular number set for the game being played. Upon receipt of the marked bet slip, the lottery agent passes the bet slip through a mark-sense card reading device associated with the electronic wagering terminal which, in turn, reads and electronically records the selected numbers of the wager. The terminal also prints a lottery ticket with the selected numbers, date and other information, which is given to the customer as a receipt for the wager.
While such lottery games have been financially successful, typical lottery operations tend to reach revenue plateaus, which require expensive marketing efforts to maintain or exceed. Additionally, retail lottery agents, an integral part of the lottery system, are frequently disgruntled by the amount of revenue they receive as a commission for selling lottery tickets. Both the lottery officials and the retail lottery agents realize that, among other factors, the number of lottery tickets sold depends, in large part, on the speed and efficiency of the retail agent and the electronic wagering terminal in processing the bet slips and issuing the lottery tickets to the customers. However, lottery systems, as presently designed and operated, introduce procedures that increase inefficiencies and cause lost sales at the retail agent terminal.
One reason for such lost sales is that customers are required to fill out bet slips, on which the customers mark by hand the selection of numbers to be played. Frequently, the customers, unaware of the sensitivity of the mark-sense card reader associated with the electronic wagering terminal, mark the card incorrectly or in a manner that the card reader incorrectly interprets the markings on the bet slip. This causes delays in processing wagers in that the card reader either rejects the incorrectly marked bet slip or the customer is dissatisfied because the lottery ticket generated by the terminal does not reflect the correct number selections that the customer intended in marking the bet slip. In some cases, the customer does not immediately realize that the numbers on the lottery ticket are incorrect, which can cause difficulties and expense for the lottery agent and/or the lottery system, particularly if the customer's intended number selections are picked as winners. Additionally, customers frequently do not have a pencil or other marking device, which causes delay in preparing the bet slips and in processing the wagers. If the retail lottery agent supplies pencils or other marking devices for the customers, the additional cost involved reduces the commission received for selling the lottery tickets.
Further, lottery computer networks and their electronic wagering terminals are not 100% accurate in transferring the markings on the bet slips to internal computer data. An industry standard card reader error rate of between 11/2% to 3% is deemed to be acceptable. Lotteries carry disclaimer statements printed on the back of the lottery tickets requiring the customer to check the selected numbers against the printed numbers generated by the electronic wagering terminal and assume responsibility regarding the accuracy of tickets issued. However, machine-produced inaccuracies have caused delay and/or other problems in connection with lottery systems.
Sales are also lost at the retail lottery agent's terminal because some lottery systems do not permit the customer to select random numbers for play. Customers generally like random number play because they believe that random selection of numbers offers a better chance of winning in a game in which the winning set of numbers is also selected by a random drawing.
Moreover, sales are lost at the retail lottery agent's terminal because, with few exceptions, lotteries do not offer the customer automatic mathematical permutations or combinations of numbers to play. Wagers made utilizing mathematical permutations of numbers reduce the odds against winning and increase the number of prizes won, if the customer is lucky enough to win. These methods of play have proven extremely successful in improving sales of lottery tickets in foreign jurisdictions which provide such methods.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a device that will improve the efficiency of sales at the retail lottery agent's terminal, increasing revenues for both the lottery system and the lottery agent, and offering the customer a more efficient means to mark bet slips, at the same time, offering the customer a variety of number selection services not generally available with present day lottery systems.